Mates remember the boy who grew up to be a soldier

As a student at Maffra Secondary College, he spent his weekends
shooting deer on the Gippsland high plains. He also got work at the
local knackery, where one of his jobs was to shoot suffering cows
and haul them back to be boned.

But he had ambitions beyond his tiny Gippsland home town of
Briagolong.

Knackery co-worker and close friend Bryce Smethurst said Private
Kovco had always wanted to join the army. "He was just filling in
time until he could get there," he said last night.

In 2002, Private Kovco enlisted and soon joined Australia's only
parachute infantry battalion. He became a rifleman and a highly
trained sniper and ended up in Baghdad with the army's security
detachment protecting diplomats.

On Friday he was cleaning his Browning automatic pistol when,
according to the army, it accidentally discharged, wounding him in
the head. He was rushed to a US military hospital and died several
hours later.

He has left behind his childhood sweetheart, Shelley, whom he
met when they were pupils at Briagolong Primary School, and their
two young children, Tyrie and Alana.

Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said there was every indication
Private Kovco's death was a tragic accident. "I should inform
Australians that there was no evidence it was anything other
than the accidental firing of the weapon that he was handling." Two
other soldiers were in the room, but did not see what happened, Dr
Nelson said.

Private Kovco is the first soldier serving with the Australian
army to be killed in Iraq, although an Australian navigator, Paul
Pardoel, was shot down and killed while serving with Britain's
RAF.

Army chief Lieutenant-General Peter Leahy said that during his
time in Baghdad Private Kovco had shown a high level of devotion to
duty and professionalism.

"Private Kovco died in hospital surrounded by his mates, draped
in an Australian flag and with a paratrooper's beret on his chest
as his mates said the Lord's Prayer," he said.

The casket containing Private Kovco's body was loaded onto an
RAAF Hercules in Baghdad yesterday and is expected to arrive in
Australia tomorrow.

The army has launched an investigation, which Dr Nelson said
would include a re-examination of procedures for handling firearms.
Private Kovco's wife Shelley will be invited to help draft the
inquiry's terms of reference.

"I think it's important that she and her family feel comfortable
with the terms of reference," Dr Nelson said.

The close-knit Briagolong community, about 30 kilometres north
of Sale, closed ranks yesterday as it came to terms with its loss.
Many friends and family contacted by The Age declined to
comment publicly.

"As a young boy he was very active, fit and strong and a great
sportsman," said one Briagolong local. He was always smiling, he
was a well-liked boy."

Several commented on his impressive physique. He was a keen
mountain bike rider and also raced motorcycles.

"He had the physique, he had the attitude, he got on well with
everyone  he didn't have many enemies, that bloke," Mr
Smethurst said.

"He was a bloody good worker. I tell you, I wish he was still
working for us. He was a good, strong, level-headed lad." He also
spoke of Private Kovco's close relationship with Shelley. "He was
one with his girl."

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1145730811677-theage.com.auhttp://www.theage.com.au/news/national/mates-remember-the-boy-who-grew-up-to-be-a-soldier/2006/04/23/1145730811677.htmltheage.com.auThe Age2006-04-24Mates remember the boy who grew up to be a soldierChantal Rumble and Brendan Nicholson, CanberraNational